Efficient skiing posture is understood as the one in which our energy expenditure is the minimum necessary to achieve the best possible skiing performance. Usually, we take conscience of the possibility of adopting an efficient posture only at the moment in which we begin to tire prematurely. The skiing posture we assume or try to assume influences our actions and it should not be static but dynamic then, to control posture, we should consider the effort economy since this is consistent with the concept of efficient skiing.
If we are only operating our muscle structure to maintain posture, the energy expenditure would be very high. Because of this, an efficient skiing posture is achieved through the correct structural alignment of body parts to decrease muscle tension facilitating mobility.
In straight runs, the beginner exhibits muscle effort at maintaining his stance due to the lack of body alignment, caused mainly by the habit of an erected posture because of the fear of sliding. The expert skier utilizes body alignment to efficiently compensate the external pulling forces. This postural strategy keeps vertically aligned shoulders over knees and hips over ankles, characterizing it as being a flexible and resistant body structure.
The difficulty in adopting an efficient skiing posture is the fact that most skiers adopt the same upright and static posture than on flat surfaces. Indeed, they should, from the moment they put skis on, adapt to gliding by perceiving that posture is dynamically inclined towards the sliding direction. This can be achieved through the advancement of the jaw that allows adopting a challenging attitude and predisposes the displacement of the trunk forward.
Mandibular positioning
A proper jaw positioning collaborates in the acquisition of a stable and balanced body posture in which we can generate appropriate voluntary and coordinated movements. Biomechanically, the anteroposterior mandibular positioning has a direct relation to head location. Emotionally, it can generate uncertainty or confidence: if our jaw is lined up behind our ankles, we show a hold back posture and a hesitant attitude, which induces to stress the back, pelvis, and legs. This causes a bodily disruption leading to positional compensation, altering motor functions because it increases joint stress.
In skiers with strong and flexible muscles, this compensatory position affects joint mobility to a lesser extent, but those with weaker muscles, it originates pronounced joint restrictions. If our jaw is positioned vertically over the feet on straight runs, we get a well-balanced global posture and a strong conviction attitude facing challenging situations.
Inefficient and efficient skiing posture
In the inefficient posture, we develop compensatory adaptations that become usual habit patterns. Our nervous system produces compensations by modifying force and functional muscle behaviors. It generates faulty biomechanics involving an incorrect movement’s coordination and, above all, inhibits the normal sequence of tension discharge (grounding posture), suffering an additional effort.
The appropriate skiing posture is the efficient one, whichuses minimum muscle tension to correctly orient our body by minimizing its oscillations. To Alexander (1998), there is no perfect posture but a correct posture orientation. An efficient skiing posture should not inhibit any action underway, allowing a quick and easy transition to the next movement. To recognize with greater naturally an efficient posture, every skier should avoid overexertion.
According to Feldenkrais (1972), a correct posture is the one that utilizes minimum effort to move the body. An example of efficient skiing posture occurs when, to facilitate the onset of a turning action, our body is located slightly in advance so the imaginary line of the center of gravity falls over the front of our feet.
Characteristics of the inefficient and efficient postures
To achieve a proper body posture, we must first become conscious of it. The continuous use of wrong postural habits accumulates over time due to incorrect interpretations or ignorance of the efficient skiing posture.
The characteristics we experience while assuming an efficient skiing posture are:
- A sensation of lack of effort (in the inefficient posture there is wasted effort).
- A sensation of lack of resistance (inefficient posture inhibits the execution of movements).
- Respiration is carried out free and fluent (in the inefficient posture breathing is restricted by the diaphragm).
- Our emotional condition is optimal (in the inefficient posture, emotion is altered and promotes excessive muscle contraction).
